Critical Legal Theory

PHIL

274

Critical Legal Theory

Critiques of power and social structures of the 19th and 20th century thought found a natural home among 20th century legal theorists, who turned these critical lenses on law as an institution for enshrining and enforcing structures of power. The Critical Legal Studies movement and its attendant disciplines - American Legal Realism, Radical Feminism, Critical Race Theory – all drew on resources developed in broader social science and humanities theorizing, and eventually provided independent bases for 20th century critical thought about American society and US law and legal institutions. These movements now occupy a permanent place in critical and legal theorizing about American law and legal history. This course introduces students to the history and fundamental tenets of critical legal theory, locating its roots in Legal Realist thought, the Critical Legal Studies movement, and radical feminist critiques of law, and traces them through contemporary movements in feminist legal theory, Critical Race Theory, and beyond.

Undergraduate

Yes